Daniel j



D,., J. POWELL.

LAST.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-6,19).

1 322,467, Patented Nov. 1 1919;

DANIEL J. POWELL, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAST.

Application filed January 6, 1919.

To all whom it may concern.-

lle it known that 1, Darren J. PownLL, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Maiden, county of MiddleseX, Commonwealth oflvlassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Lasts, of which. thefollowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa specification, l1ke ch aracters on the drawings representing likeparts in each of the several vie vs.

This invention relates to lasts particularly of the type employed inthemanufacture of rubber shoes and aiters, and the like, with an extendedupper or leg portion that for purposes of strength is usually madeseparate from the foot portion and secured thereto by a clamping screwbolt. In the manufacture of rubber shoes and gaiters it is customary tomount the lasts on which the shoes are to be formed or molded ininverted position on a rail or so-called shoestick which is mounted tohold the lasts invered diagonally upward and in spaced apart relation,for the convenience of the operator, the rail or shoe-stick for thispurpose being equipped with series of spaced apart pins which enter intoholes formed therefor in the top of the upper portion of the last. Inpractice these lasts encounter a good deal of severe usage by theoperator in forming and molding the shoe on the last which since thepins on the shoe-stick cannot fit the holes of the last closely, alwaysresults in working and play of the last on these pins tending to wearthe holes in the wood of the last still larger and correspondinglyweakening the cross section of the last. The lasts are also apt to bewrenched and twisted about to a large extent on these holding pins asthe shoe-stick with the lasts thereon is transferred from the makingroom to the vulcanizing room and on through the factor and the removalof the lasts from the pins by careless employees and their return to thesource of supply also subjects them to further rough usage. From allthis it results that the upper last portion which has heretofore beenmerely of wood and unreinforced, has often split and broken by reason ofthe weakening of its top from the holes mentioned and the wrenchingstrain of the holding pins in these holes particularly after the holeshave become somewhat worn. The object of the present invention is toprovide means whereby such upper last portion is strengthened andreinforced against such Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18,

Serial No. 269,796.

breakage and also to provide wear resisting thimble or sleeve portionsof'metal to receive the supporting pins of the shoe-stick where by thedurability of the last is largely increased and since the pin receiving.holes thereof do not materially enlarge through wear, the last will beheld on its supporting pins without objectionable play or loosenessthroughout its period of service. The foregoing and other objects. andadvantages of the invention will more fully appear from the followingdetailed description, and the distinctive features of novelty will bepointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 shows in elevation a last constructed in accordance with myinvention mounted on a shoe-stick or rail, such rail being shown incross-section;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a metallic reinforcing member employed in theinvention, removed from the last;

l ig. 3 is a lengthwise sectional view of the upper last portion withthe reinforcing member fitted therein, the clamp bolt being shown inelevation;

Fig. i is a plan view of the upper last portion;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a. shoe-stick to which lasts of the presenttype are applied; anc

Flig. 6 is a partial plan view of such shoestic- 10 indicates the loweror foot part of the last to which the upper or leg part 11 is fitted andsecured by a clamping screw bolt 12, the head 12 of which is recessedinto the top of the lastso as not to project above the top face 11thereof. Suitable dowel pins 13 may be provided engaging the matingportions of the two last parts to hold them rigidly assembled andagainst relative angular displacement. In accordance with my invention ametallic reinforcing and wear member 1% is provided and fitted into arecess provided therefor in the top of the upper last part, this memberconsisting in spaced apart thimble 0r tubular portions 14?, 149, whichare joined by an intermediate web 14 having a passage 14 therethrough toreceive the clamp bolt 12. The tubular portions 14 14 are preferably andas shown of substantial length so as to engage and fit the holding pinsof the shoe-stick throughout the length thereof and thus serve moreeffectively as wear elements as well as exsocket wrench'or like tooltherewith. Thus as the last parts are assembled and the clamp V bolt 12screwed into place, the head of this bolt engaging the web lt 'willfirmly and securely clamp and lock the reinforcing memher 1% in place atthe top of the last part 11 whereby it results that all strains andstresses from the respective holding pins of the shoe-stick that wouldotherwise be imparted by the individual pins to the locality of eachhole separately and thus tend to split the last, are instead in thepresent case received and dissipated by the unitary reinforcing member14 and thus spread over a relatively large area of the cross section ofthe last and also through'its clamp bolt 12 to the entire body of thelast'in more or less degree so that liability of splitting or breakingof one upper last part is greatly reduced.

A shoe-stick Sis shown equipped with usual 7 series of spaced apart pinsP arranged in pairs,'the pins o'fea ch pair being adapted to engage andfit in the holes 14 of the tubular portions 14% 14t of the reinforcingmember, the several lasts mounted on the series of pins being thus heldspaced apart as required by the shoemaker, the shoe-stick S beingcommonlymounted in diagonal position .so as to present the lastsextending obliquely upward while the shoe is being made, and theshoe-sticks then being removed with the lasts and shoes formed thereonto a car for transfer to the vulcanizing room. I am aware that theinvention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing fromthe spirit or essential attributes thereof and I therefore desire thepresent embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and.not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather thanto the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I.

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: V

l. A two'part last, comprising a headed clamp bolt for securing the twolast parts I together, a reinforcing member fitted in the top of theupper last part with aninter mediate web portion having a socket toreceive the head of said bolt, and tubular portions at each side thereofadapted to engage and fit the pins of a shoestick, said bolt by theengagement of the head thereof in said socket holding said reinforcingmember clamped in place.

2. A two-part last, comprising a screw bolt for clamping the two lastparts together,

- and a reinforcing member set into the top of the upper last partconsisting in spaced apart tubular portions extending down into the lastbody sufliciently to constitute wear elements for'snbstantially theentire length DANIEL J. POWELL.

